Hong Kong Geology Guide Book Geotechnical Engineering Office ...

in the properties and appearance of rocks (weakening) due to the actions of living
organisms. Bacterial breakdown and absorption by roots are some examples. The
action of water currents and strong winds plays an important role in weathering. They
provide favourable conditions and media for weathering, and are main transportation
agents of weathered materials.
Due to strong compression and faulting over geological time, the granite in Castle
Peak in the western New Territories is strongly deformed and metamorphosed
(schistose). As a result, the rate of weathering has accelerated causing the
development of a special erosional morphology in the area. You can get a strong sense
of the power of weathering and erosion while observing this bare land of weathered
soil and the erosion gullies that incise deeply into the hillslopes.
How to Get There
At the western side of Leung King Estate in Tuen Mun, there is a road leading to
Castle Peak (Tsing Shan). This road climbs from Leung King Estate to the peak at an
elevation of 185 m and is about 1.5 km in length. It is possible to drive a car up to the
peak. From there, you can view the Leung King Estate in the east, and the bare
weathered land of Tsing Shan in the west. Continue to drive along the road in a
northwest direction to view many erosional gullies. Farther along, the road is cut by
deep gullies providing a good section with which to examine the weathered granite.
Route plan to geological observation spots of the weathering and erosion
morphology in Tsing Shan
138